Loom reed



Jan. 27, 1959 v. c. LAUGHLIN LOOM REED Filed Nov. 1'7, 1955 INVENTOR;

VERNON C- LAUGHLIN ATTORNEYS United States This invention relates to loom reeds and, more especially, to a loom reed having improved end bars and split retainer caps thereon.

Generally, a loom reed comprises a plurality of closely spaced parallel splits forming dents therebetweenthrough which the warp passes in the weaving operation. Heretofore, the splits have been supported at their upper and lower ends'between longitudinally extending split retaining bars, which bars are usually half-round members, with a spirally-wound cord passing around the split retaining bars and between the splits to hold them in spaced relation. Opposed ends of the split retaining bars have been connected by various means to opposite ends of end bars, such as by passing the cords through suitable notches formed in opposite or upper and lower ends of the reed end bars, or, as disclosed in the patent to McLane et al., No. 2,383,140, by means of cup-like metallic ferrules or split retainer end caps which fitted over the corresponding ends of the split retaining bars and were provided with diametrically opposed slots therein through which reduced portions on opposite ends of the reed end bars fitted. The latter type of reed end bar is substan tially square in plan or in cross-section and has been reduced in size at opposite ends thereof in order to fit through the slots in the split holder ferrules.

The latter type of reed end bar has necessarily been of greater thickness than the thickness of the reed splits so the shuttle could only move past one side of the reed during loom operation or, in other words, the reed could not be turned over so the outer face of the reed could be engaged by the shuttle without removing the end bars because of the end bars projecting outwardly relative to one of the common faces of the reed splits.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a loom reed of somewhat greater rigidity than loom reeds of the character heretofore in use and wherein a substantially greater width reed end bar may be used than has heretofore been practicable when using cup-like ferrules for connecting the reed end bars to the split retaining bars.

It is another object of thisinvention to provide a loom reed construction of the character last described wherein the reed end bars are of the same thickness through-, out their length and, spaced from adjacent each end of each end bar is a transverse slot or notch and each of the split retaining caps or ferrules is also provided with.

a pair of diametrically opposed notches therein of substantially the same or slightly greater width than the thickness of the corresponding reed end bar. The outermost of the slots in each ferrule relative to the corresponding end bar is of greater depth than the innermost of said slots, thus leaving a portion of the wall of each ferrule which fits in the corresponding notch formed in the end bar and facilitating the use of cup-like ferrules or split retaining bar caps for attaching reed end bars to the split retaining bars and wherein the reed end bars are of the same thickness as the width of the splits.

Some of the objects of the invention having been reed with central portions thereof broken away and I also showing the protective shield turned back in the upper left-hand portion of the view for purposes of clarity; Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of the upper left-hand portion of the reed shown in Figure 1, omitting the pliable shield;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional view of one end of the improved reed taken substantially I along line 3-3 in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially along line 44 in Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an isometric view of one of the improved ferrules removed from the reed.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the numerals 10 and 10', respectively, broadly designate spaced parallel upper and lower built-up split retaining bars each of which may be in the form of half-round members substantially as disclosed in said Patent No. 2,383,140, but each of which is preferably formed from a pair of inner spars or ribs 12, 13 and a pair of outer spars or ribs 14, 15. Referring to Figures 2 and 4, it will be best observed that the inner ribs 12, 13 of each split retaining bar 10, 10' are fitted on opposite edges of a plurality of splits 16, the inner ribs'12, 13 preferably being made from wood. The outer ribs 14, 15 are preferably of strap metal and of slightly lesser width than the inner ribs 12, 13 and are positioned against the distal. surfaces of the inner ribs 12, 13.

A pitched cord 20 is spirally wound around the ribs 12, 13, 14 and 15 of each split retaining bar 10, M to securely bind the ribs together as well as to securely bind the inner ribs 12, 13 against the edges of the splits 16 and, also, to space the splits 16 from each other to form spaces or dents therebetween through which the warp yarns of the loom pass in a weaving operation. As is usual, after the split retaining bars It), 10 have been attached to the splits 16 by the cords 20 in the manner substantially as described, a suitable adhesive coating may be applied to the cord and a suitable pliable web shield 21 made from plastic or cloth may be adhesively applied to each longitudinal edge of the reed to cover the exposed ends of the splits 16 and the pitched cord 20. Y

Each end of the reed is provided with an improved reed end bar 22 which is of the same length and thickness as the splits 16 and, in order to lend rigidity to the reed and to correspondingly minimize the number of splits required in the reed, the width of each end bar 22 is substantially greater than the thickness thereof. In other words, each of the end bars 22 is preferably approximately 4; of an inch thick and A2 of an inch wide. Like the splits 16, opposite ends of each end bar 22 ex tend between corresponding ends of the inner ribs 12, 13 of the split retaining bars 10, 10'. Predominant novelty of the invention resides in the improved means for attaching theend bars 22 to corresponding ends of the split retaining bars 10, 10' and, since each of such means is identical, only one will be described and all of the others will bear the same reference characters.

The means for uniting or interconnecting corresponding ends of the split retaining bars and reed end bars 22 comprising a split retainer end cap or ferrule broadly designated at 25 which is substantially cup-shaped and includes an annular body or barrel which is closed at.

may be respectively termed as outer and inner slots. The outer slot is preferably of substantially the same depth as the length of the annular body or barrel 26 while it will be noted that the inner. slot'31terminates substantially short of the closedien dtor base 27 of the ferrule 25, thus defining a solid latch portion 32 between slot 31 and the base 27.

The internal-diameter of the body or=barrel 26 of each ferrule 25 is such that it snuglyuengages the upper and lower edges of the built-up ribs 12,13,14 and of each corresponding split retaining. bar and, in order to facilitate positioning .of the ferrules over opposite ends of the split retaining bars 10,10; it will be noted that the edges of theouter ribs 14, 15, in each instance, are rounded or-beveled, asat 34, inFigtu-e 3. It will be noted that the beveled edges '34 are tapered to infinitely short of the open end of the barrel 26 of each corresponding ferrule 25 to insure that the ferrules 25 snugly engage the retaining bars 1'0, 10 and thereby assist in holding thecorresponding ends of the corresponding ribs 12, 13, 14 and 15 together and against opposed sides of the corresponding reed end bars 22.

The latch portion 32 on each of the ferrules 25 is provided to restrain the end bars 22 from endwise movement relative to the longitudinal axis of the reed and to maintain opposite or upper and lower ends of the end bars 22 in substantial alinement with the opposite or upper and lower ends of the splits 16. To this end, each of the reed end bars 22 is provided with a pair of spaced notches 36 in its outer edge, there being one of these notches 36 for each of the ferrules 25, in each of which the corresponding latch portion 32 loosely fits. The wall of each notch 36 nearest each narrow and edge of each end bar 22 is so spaced that the inner surface of the latch portion 32 of the barrel 26 of the corresponding ferrule 25 snugly engages the same when it is positioned over the corresponding end of the corresponding split retaining bar while the corresponding narrow end edge of the end bar 22 is positioned substantially flush with the corresponding outer ends of the reed splits 16.

After the ferrules 25 have been mounted on opposite ends of the split retaining bars 10, 10' with their latch portions 32 inserted in the corresponding notches 36 in the reed end bars 22, a pair of brads or tacks 37 are provided for nailing the same through suitable holes 40 in the closed end or base 27 of each of the caps or ferrules 25. It will be observed in Figure 2 that the holes 40 are so spaced that thenails, tacks or brads 37 enter the ends of the wooden .ribs 12, 13 immediately adjacent the outer metal ribs 14, 15 and tend to how the outer ends of the outer ribs 14, -15 outwardly-to further cause them to snugly engage the innersurfaces of the barrel 26 of the correspondingferrules .25.

it is thus seen that I-have Provided a novel means for attaching reed end bars to the split retaining bars of a loom reed wherein the latch portions 32 of the ferrules 25 assist in maintaining the loom reed frame in rectangular position and the relatively great width of the reed end bars protruding through the split retaining bars provides a relatively broad surface for receiving the impact during the positioning of the bottom of the reed in the usual groove provided therefor in the loom lay as well as for receiving the impact during the forcing of the conventional reed cap onto the upper portion of the reed.

It is also particularly importantto note that, since the reed end bars 22 are of the same thickness as the reed splits in, either side of the reed mayface forwardly or, in other .wordsymay: serve as the'surf-ace against which the shuttle moves during the Weaving operation.

In the drawing and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, the scope of the invention being defined in'the claims.

I claim:

1. In a loom reed including a pair of spaced substanand a plurality of splits having opposite ends thereofextending through the split retaining bars; the combination of an end bar for each end of the reed having opposite ends thereof extending, through the split retaining bars and terminating substantially flush with corresponding ends of .the splits, each end bar having a pair of .notches formed in its edge remote from the reed'splits'and spaced from opposite ends of the corresponding reed'end bar a distance at least equal to the distance from the proximal surfaces of-the split retainingbars to the :outer .endsof the splits, a .cap inserted over each end of each split retaining bar, each cap having an outer slot therein and an inner slot disposed substantially diametrically-opposite the outer slot, the outer slot being of greater depth than theinner slot, and the inner slot defining-a latch portion on the cap fitting in the corresponding notch formed in said edge of the corresponding .end bar for preventing endwise movement of the corresponding end bar relative to the split retaining bars.

2. In a structure according to claim .1, each split retaining bar comprising a pair of elongated Wooden'inner ribs secured against opposite sides of the splits and a pairof thin metal outer ribs engaging the distal surf-aces of the inner ribs, and a pair of elongated fastening pins penetrating the closed outer end of eachcap and being so spaced as to engage'the proximal surfaces of the outer ribs and press the outer ribs againstythe cap to thereby lockthe cap on the corresponding splitretaining bar.

References fiited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 664,827 .Baldwin Jan. 1, 1901 1,988,977 Andrews Jan.-22, 1935 2,180,201 FiSh Nov. 14, 1939 2,383,140 McLane et *al Aug. 21, 1945 

